IPL 2018: Here are the top two contenders for Kolkata Knight Riders captaincy

The 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League is nearing the commencement date. With the season coming close, the franchises are making all the official announcements. All the franchises have announced their leaders for the tournament, save Kolkata Knight Riders. The KKR camp is planning a unique way to announce their captain for the 2018 season.

The big announcement will be announced live in the show named ‘KKR ka Captain Kaun’ on Sunday (March 4, 2018). The program will go live at 9 am on Star Sports 1, Star Sports HD 1, Star Sports Hindi 1, Star Sports Hindi HD 1 and Star Sports First.

With the show all set to roll out, there is serious buzz about the top contenders. Earlier, Chris Lynn was tipped to be the leader. However, Lynn’s tryst with injuries do not seem to have an end. And now, there are two Indian cricketers who have emerged as the top contenders for the role of Kolkata Knight Riders captain.

Veteran cricketer Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik are reportedly the top picks for the roles. One of the members of the commentary panel of IPL 2018, Dean Jones, reckons Dinesh Karthik is the ideal fit as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders. He feels that Karthik has the right experience to lead the team in the competition.

“DK’s experience and his all-round capabilities (batting and wicket-keeping) makes him the number one choice for KKR’s captaincy,” Dean Jones quoted as per the quotes in Inside Sport.

“There are a lot of factors to be considered before a T20 team chooses their captain. It is essential for the captain to be available for all the games and also has the right game plan for the squad and its progress in the league. I really believe KKR will turn towards Dinesh Karthik for the stability he has shown in the league and everyone knows how good he is. Besides DK, Robin Uthappa, Vinay Kumar and Chris Lynn too are the names I think franchisee will turn to for their next skipper,” he added further.

Aakash Chopra gives his opinion

Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer and a former Kolkata Knight Riders player, Aakash Chopra, feels Robin Uthappa suits the role. Uthappa has over 3000 runs in the IPL and is a highly experienced player in the league. He feels that Uthappa’s association with the KKR camp in the recent years makes him the top bid for the role.

“Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik are according to me are the front runners for KKR leadership role this season. But if I had to choose I would incline towards Robin Uthappa because he has been with Kolkata since a long time and if I have to compare these two players in the T20 format Uthappa is a match winner as compared to Karthik,” Aakash Chopra remarked.

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